Bellevue is gearing up to launch a pre-approved plans program meant to speed construction of small “middle housing” units on lots now open to denser development. The pilot will zero in on cottage housing and detached accessory dwelling units, modestly sized homes that the city says could shave weeks off timelines and save thousands of dollars in design and permitting. Officials envision a tight catalog of standardized plans that homeowners and small builders can buy and build, keeping new homes compact and neighborhood-friendly.
City documents published this week outline a three-phase rollout that starts with community engagement and a Govstream.ai-style hackathon, moves into a formal call for designs and technical pre-review, and wraps with the Development Services Department pre-approving up to 10 plans for public sale, according to City of Bellevue. The materials say the program will aim to line up with the next state building-code update and include tools to help homeowners check site feasibility and financing options.
As first reported by Puget Sound Business Journal, city staff are pitching the pre-approved plans as a way to reduce regulatory uncertainty and upfront design costs for small projects. The reporting also notes that Bellevue intends to keep cottages and DADUs modest in scale so the designs work across a wide range of neighborhoods.
What Homeowners Will See
The city’s outline sets firm size and height limits for standardized plans: cottage housing would top out at about 1,500 square feet and 24 feet tall, while DADUs would be capped around 1,200 square feet and 24 feet tall, according to City of Bellevue. DADUs built above garages are excluded from the pilot because of site variability. The pre-approved plans are expected to be sold at a preset price and are intended to trim both the time and cost typically spent on architect work and plan review.
How State Law Pushed the Change
The move follows statewide rules adopted in 2023 that require many cities to allow “middle housing” and expand ADU allowances; the Washington State Department of Commerce has put out model ordinances and guidance to help jurisdictions comply, according to Commerce. Bellevue’s June 2025 code updates set local limits and design standards that make a pre-approved plan library feasible.
Local Debate and Next Steps
Debate over building height, overall scale and neighborhood character shaped Bellevue’s middle-housing rollout; The Urbanist reported that the council pared back some allowances and directed staff to track outcomes. In January, the city also launched a new middle-housing permit to streamline project reviews.
City staff plan to take the pre-approved plans concept through community engagement and to a council study session on March 10, 2026, with the goal of launching the pilot once state code updates are in place. Homeowners and small developers are being told to watch for the hackathon and the city’s call for designs, which officials say will shape the final slate of pre-approved plans.
